Some idle gossip

[M. Beaux-Eaux]

Posted on Habfans. Take with the usual pillar of salt:

Subject: pulled from rds board -speculation or pure fiction
Name: emb
Views: 236

Bonjour. Voici, en anglais, des rumeurs plutôt intéressantes concernant le canadien. Elles ont été prises sur hockeytraderumors.com, et proviennent d'un montréalais qui aurait discuté avec un journaliste sportif de TEAM 990 AM...

Everybody is going nuts with rumors at this time of year...especially when you work in a "Sport" bar in Montreal. Tonight was really quiet night, so I had the chance to talk a lot with one of our customers...

Here's what he had to say...

But before, let me tell you who this guy is.

He works for "TEAM 990 AM", here in Montreal. Don't know if he still does it, but he used to host a show there, taking phone calls and talking about different things related to NHL Hockey. What makes him a reliable source ? Well, it's always hard to say what is true, and what's not, but here's a couple of things he told me:

- Weeks before it happened, he told me Gainey was going to be named Montreal's GM.
- He also told me Gonchar was going to Boston, when everybody else was sending him to Toronto...even said Morrisonn would be a part of the deal.
- Told me two or three days before that Ottawa would get their hands on either Bondra or Zubrus (I had to pay him a beer tonight for that one...)

However, he also told me Colorado would acquire Jagr when New York got him, and said that Minnesota would deal Gaborik somewhere else when they had some problem signing him.

So I guess, it makes him a 50% reliable source, but it's pretty much what a "Trade Rumor" is all about, don't you think...

So here's a couple of things I still have in mind: As we spent a lot of time talking about the Habs, let's start with them...keep in mind, this is what he said, and it doesn't mean it's gonna happen...just thought I'd share that with you...

Montreal Canadiens

Gainey was trying to get Lang, before he was dealt to Detroit. Apparently, Gainey offered the same deal he offered to Suther for Alexei Kovalev. Washington however was asking for Alex Perezhoggin and a 1st Rond Pick, which Gainey refused.

My Take: This could be true. I know Gainey was trying to get a tough right-handed center, and Lang at 6'2, 216 pds fits this description perfectly...

He also told me Montreal, prior to Kovalev trade, knocked on a few doors. Some names I still have in mind were Buffalo Taylor Pyatt and Jay McKee, Columbus Geoff Sanderson, Minnesota Andrew Brunette, and Washington Jeff Halpern, Anson Carter and Mike Grier.

My Take: I can see the Habs going after Pyatt and McKee, since one of them is pretty young, plays left-wing (which we lack) and the other is a solid left-handed defenceman, which Gainey said he was looking for at some point. Sanderson, Halpern, Carter and Grier, I'm not sure about...but I also think Brunette could have been in Montreal's plan at some point.

Here's an interesting one, but pretty long to explain, so follow me. He told me that Montreal was very close to a deal with Carolina, that was set to happen right after their last game. As reported, Montreal were tempted by O'Neill and Hill. The first reason why it didn't happen is because Hill didn't, at that time, say that he'll waive his no-trade clause. The second reason why it didn't happen is because Rutherford suddenly changed his mind on the offer, and decided to reject it.

The initially approved offer was, as reported, Richard Zednik, and a fourth round pick for Jeff O'Neill and Sean Hill. Rutherford decided that if he was going to move O'Neill to Montreal, young right-winger Michael Ryder had to be a part of the deal. The trade was cancelled then...

But !!!

Montreal apparently is still talking daily with Carolina...and he told me that's the reason why Montreal went in New York to get Kovalev. He said Kovalev was brought to Montreal to fill the hole in case Montreal traded Ryder to Carolina. The reason why the trade didn't take place right after is because Gainey wanted to see how Kovalev would look on the ice before. Unfortunately, he got injured after seven minutes of play, and that might cancel the plan if the injury is serious. Apparently, the offer Montreal was going to make to Carolina was:

Michael Ryder along with either Hossa, Higgins or Hainsey, and a 2005 2nd Draft Pick in exchange of Jeff O'Neill, Erik Cole and Sean Hill.

My Take: I would prefer the Canadiens to get their hands on Hedican, but having Cole and O'Neill on our team would be just terrific. I would hate to see Ryder go tough, as I truely believe he's going to be a good top-6 foward in any team soon.

The other team Montreal is currently talking with is the Washington Capitals, trying to get their hands on Brendan Witt (if the Carolina deal doesn't work). Grier is also interesting for Montreal, but the price is too high for Gainey.

If I belive him, Carolina and Washington are the only two teams Gainey is really talking with, so any other rumor concerning them aren't true.

[Douper]

Michael Ryder along with either Hossa, Higgins or Hainsey, and a 2005 2nd Draft Pick in exchange of Jeff O'Neill, Erik Cole and Sean Hill.

WAY TO HIGH A PRICE!!!!!!!!!!!!

Ryder is the leading scorer among rookies, he has 50 + pts!!! Why in the world would we want to trade him for 2 30pts forwards and a #3-4 defenseman? it doesn't make sense...It's not a good hockey deal for Montreal! AT ALL!

[HFTO]

All moot now anyways with O'Neill likely gone for the season.Where does BG turn?
HFTO

[Swane]

I can't see Gainey giving up Ryder and Higgins in the same deal. They are both Gainey type players IMO. I assume Gainey would be bringing in O'neil to address the need for a gritty goal scorer who can play on the top 2 lines, but the last time I checked that's exactly the type of game Ryder plays. And he plays it for millions less.

Sean Hill isn't worth a 2nd round pick.

Cole for Higgins isn't a trade I'd make, but is appropriate value-wise. Cole would be a good fit for the Habs right now, and could help us for years down the line. I'd deal Hossa or Hainsey for him, but not Higgins. He's the best prospect we have right now IMO and will become a very special player.

Interesting read though. They're the most logical "insider" rumours I've read in a while.

[Deleted]

Good read. But I'd rather keep Higgins and Ryder. Cole has been underachieving, and so has O'Neill. Could we be certain that a change of scenery will do them good?

We're still waiting how Kovy will do.

[PTH]

Swane said:

Interesting read though. They're the most logical "insider" rumours I've read in a while.

The problem being, of course, that if we can tell they're logical, they'd be logical to someone making them up, too...

[jkr]

This was posted by le gaspesian on another thread. He found it on hockeytraderumors.com.

It sounded like some guy in bar talkng hockey - nothing but hearsay. Another anonymous internet poster that wants to sound like an insider.

[M. Beaux-Eaux]

Of course. It's the illogical proposals which are more likely to be realistic.

[jkr]

Mr. said:

Of course. It's the illogical proposals which are more likely to be realistic.

Yes. I guess the most convincing lies are those that contain a grain of truth.

[rhabdo]

Mr. said:

Of course. It's the illogical proposals which are more likely to be realistic.

In The Men in Black, they read the sensational tabloids because those were the rags that carried the stories about the extraterrestrials and the three-headed humans. I can visualize Mr. Bozo with his zap gun talking to miniature dogs to get the latest 'poop' on the trade situation. ;D

[M. Beaux-Eaux]

The truth is often stranger than fiction.

Kovalev for Balej? Yeah, right! Tell me another...

[PTH]

Mr. said:

The truth is often stranger than fiction.

Kovalev for Balej? Yeah, right! Tell me another...

How about the prototypical soft, injury-prone Russkie going to Bobby Clarke's Flyers's ?